China Considers Relaxing One-Child Policy

Human-rights advocates have long railed against China’s one-child policy – and exemptions have gradually been granted to a limited number of families, allowing them two children. Warned about population imbalances and young adults overwhelmed with caring for aging parents without sibling support, officials quietly ponder how to extend a two-child policy gradually for all Chinese. One out of six people in the world is Chinese. China’s urban communities already follow the patterns of wealthy nations, with birth rates declining as living standards rise. Some experts push for expansion, confident that doubling the number of children in Chinese families won’t result in a baby boom. Chinese authorities are divided and move cautiously, seeking to avoid the poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, hikes in public costs and unrest that could accompany an abrupt rise in population. – YaleGlobal